Bitch Media - PETAhttp://bitchmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/3451/0
enPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Obamahttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/people-for-the-ethical-treatment-of-obama
<p><a href="http://www.peta.org/">PETA</a> is in some hot water (again) for <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/06/business/AP-US-Michelle-Obama-PETA.html">using first lady Michelle Obama's image in one of their ads without her permission</a>. PETA pres <a href="http://www.ingridnewkirk.com/">Ingrid Newkirk</a> says they didn't get Obama's permission because, well, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/06/business/AP-US-Michelle-Obama-PETA.html">they knew she would have said no</a>. Since this is the same rationale I used when I "borrowed" my mom's car before I had a driver's license, I happen to know firsthand that the I-didn't-ask-because-you'd-say-no excuse doesn't work too well.</p>
<p>Says Newkirk, "The fact is that Michelle Obama has issued a statement indicating that she doesn't wear fur, and the world should know that in PETA's eyes, that makes her pretty fabulous."</p>
<p>Here's the ad:</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.usmagazine.com/uploads/assets/articles/30438-white-house-peeved-michelle-obama-is-in-new-peta-ad/1262787120_peta-290.jpg" /></center></p>
<p>That's Oprah Winfrey, Carrie Underwood, and Tyra Banks in the ad with Obama (no word as to whether or not they gave their permission, which probably means that they did – or they just don't care enough to say anything). </p>
<p>Though this ad itself is pretty harmless (due in part to the fact that it just isn't very interesting), I for one am <a href="/search/node/PETA">sick and tired of PETA's bullshit campaign tactics</a>. If they aren't illegally using someone's image, they're <a href="/post/feminists-protest-peta-for-a-change">fat-shaming</a> everyone they can get their hands on, or <a href="/post/peta-is-a-bunch-of-bull">objectifying the crap out of various women</a> in order to peddle their message of respecting all life forms. I don't know about you, but it's just not working for this animal lover.</p>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.twiigs.com/poll.js?pid=46795&color=purpledark"></script><div class="TWIIGSPOLLpolllink" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: block; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: right; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal;"> <a class="TWIIGSPOLLmorelink" href="http://www.twiigs.com/" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: none; border-style: none; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; position: static; visibility: visible; height: auto; line-height: normal; width: auto; margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; margin-left: 0; outline-style: none; padding-top: 0; padding-right: 0; padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; clip: auto; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: auto; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: normal; font-weight: bold;">poll by twiigs.com</a> </div>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/people-for-the-ethical-treatment-of-obama#commentsanimal rightsCarrie UnderwoodfurIngrid NewkirkMichelle ObamaOprah WinfreyPETApollSocial CommentaryWed, 06 Jan 2010 19:52:51 +0000Kelsey Wallace2703 at http://bitchmagazine.orgOpen Thread: Thanksgivinghttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/open-thread-thanksgiving
<p>Way back when I was but a young feminist in a WGS 101 class, my professor asked the class to describe our Thanksgiving traditions as a way of further explaining the notion of gender norms. As more and more students told tales of men sitting on the couch watching television while women basted turkeys and mashed potatoes, light bulbs turned on around the room. Aha! Gender norms! Men and women are both expected to play certain roles, even during such great American holidays as Thanksgiving!</p>
<p>Holidays can bring out the best and worst in all of us (especially when you've got an uncle that likes to play "bartender" by pouring shots for everyone the way I do). So what are your Thanksgiving traditions? How do you negotiate gender norms when you get together with your friends and families in the kitchen? And what are you going to cook/eat this year? Oh, and do you remember THIS?</p>
<p><center></center></p>
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<p>Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Thanksgiving. I look forward to it for about six months out of every year. But there are a few problems that even I can see in the holiday, and what better place to commiserate/share coping strategies than right here on this blog? </p>
<p><b>Problem One: Annoying Gender Norms</b></p>
<p>It's one thing to tell your friends/classmates/coworkers that you are a progressive feminist, and it's quite another to have to tell your dear old grandpa that he needs to get his ass of the couch and help grandma with the dishes. Gender norms can be mighty tricky to negotiate when generations of family are involved. So what do you do? Do you just bite your tongue and let the women work in the kitchen while the men watch football? Do you protest by rejecting the gendered expectations put upon you? Does your family have a different, more equitable way of doing things? Discuss!</p>
<p><b>Problem Two: Thanksgiving is Pretty Racist</b></p>
<p>Oh hey, do you remember when white people came to North America and made everything better? Good thing some friendly Native Americans were there to help the Europeans get corn so that they'd have the energy to "civilize" (read: eradicate) them! It can be tough to celebrate a holiday that you are aware is basically founded on <a href="http://www.racismreview.com/blog/2009/11/24/thanksgiving-and-racism-link-roundup/">racism</a>. Is this something you choose to address on Thanksgiving? Do you choose to make your Thanksgiving celebration about something else? Do you genuinely like celebrating colonialism? Oh, and have you ever been in a Thanksgiving pageant? (Tangent: Has anyone seen the Thanksgiving pageant episode of <i>Strangers With Candy</i>? It illustrates the racism pretty well.)</p>
<p><b>Problem Three: To Some People, Meat is Murder</b></p>
<p>So your mom (or dad, or friend, or whomever) has spent a ton of time and money cooking a giant turkey. But guess what? You don't eat turkey because you are a vegetarian/vegan/non-turkey eater. Do you lecture your family and friends on the politics of meat? Do you choke down the turkey anyway to be polite and avoid an argument? Do you bring your own tofurkey? Also, what do you think of this new PETA ad?</p>
<p><center></center></p>
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<p><b>Problem Four: Despite The Aforementioned Problems, Some People Love Thanksgiving (Like Me)</b></p>
<p>I'll admit it (I already did, in fact): I think Thanksgiving is awesome. I love the food, the family togetherness, and my uncle the "bartender" (I'll be spending the night at my mom's house tomorrow to avoid a DUI offense). I love leftover Thanksgiving food the next morning, I love the stupid parade and watching <i>Planes, Trains, and Automobiles</i> after everyone is too full to socialize. So feel free to share your good thoughts about Thanksgiving in the comments section as well. Do you have a great recipe? A favorite Thanksgiving movie? A new and improved way to make a hand turkey? Let's hear it!</p>
<p>Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!</p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/open-thread-thanksgiving#commentsFoodgender normsopen threadPETAThanksgivingtraditionSocial CommentaryWed, 25 Nov 2009 18:55:32 +0000Kelsey Wallace2573 at http://bitchmagazine.orgFeminists Protest PETA For a Changehttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/feminists-protest-peta-for-a-change
<p>Friend of <i>Bitch</i> (and Beaker Bitch blogger) <a href="/profile/sarah-mirk">Sarah Mirk</a> posted a great piece over at <a href="http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2009/08/19/peta-vs-the-feminists">Blogtown PDX</a> yesterday on the new (and oh-so-unfortunate) <a href="http://www.feministing.com/archives/017289.html">PETA billboard</a> in Florida, and the subsequent protest of PETA President <a href="http://www.ingridnewkirk.com/">Ingrid Newkirk's</a> book signing at <a href="http://www.powells.com/">Powell's Books</a> here in Portland. The offending billboard: </p>
<p><center><img src="/sites/default/files/whales.jpg" width="500" height="149" alt="whales.jpg" /></center><center><i>Seriously, PETA? I think I've lost enough weight already barfing at your ad campaigns</i></center></p>
<p>On Tuesday evening, <a href="http://blogs.wweek.com/news/2008/10/29/these-demonstrators-give-planned-parenthood-some-love/">the Portland Feminist Action League</a> stood inside (and then outside <a href="http://blogs.wweek.com/news/2009/08/19/why-feminist-peta-protesters-got-kicked-out-of-powells/">once they were kicked out</a>) of Powell's and gave Ingrid Newkirk (and her fans) a piece of their minds.</p>
<p><center><img src="/sites/default/files/PETA_protesters.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PETA_protesters.jpg" /></center><i><center>Image via wweek.media on flickr</center></i>Reports Mirk,<br />
<blockquote>The women sat quietly throughout Newkirk's 40-minute long presentation as she discussed the lives of whales and the pain crabs feel. After Newkirk wrapped up showing a video of cute animals set to Moby music and started signing books, the dozen feminists took to the front of the room, handing out fliers directing people to <a href="http://whatswrittenonmybody.blogspot.com/">[protest organizer] Fairchild's blog</a> and standing silently with brightly-colored signs like, "Misogyny is not cruelty free!" </blockquote></p>
<p>Check out Sarah Mirk's video of the protest (complete with cute-animals-set-to-Moby-montage):</p>
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q0xYo73BICs&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q0xYo73BICs&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><p>I don't know about you, but I have felt truly sickened by this recent PETA campaign (you know, just like I have felt truly sickened by so many past PETA campaigns). When will they wise up and realize that feminists could be great allies for them if only they'd stop offending us with their bullshit misogyny?!? <a href="/taxonomy/term/3052">Feminists love animals!</a> (Well, most of us do, anyway.) At any rate, I hope these protesters got a few messages across to PETA. Messages like "Stop fat-shaming women," "Stop disrespecting women," and "Cut it out with your mistreatment of women." What do you think?<b>Related posts:</b><a href="/post/peta-gets-the-onion-treatment">PETA Gets the Onion Treatment</a><a href="/post/peta-is-a-bunch-of-bull">PETA is a Bunch of Bull</a><a href="/post/feminism-and-animal-rights">Feminism and Animal Rights... A First Step</a></p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/feminists-protest-peta-for-a-change#commentsanimal rightsBlogtown PDXIngrid NewkirkPETAPowell's BooksprotestsSarah Mirkvideowweek.mediaSocial CommentaryThu, 20 Aug 2009 18:35:30 +0000Kelsey Wallace2051 at http://bitchmagazine.orgPETA Gets the Onion Treatmenthttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/peta-gets-the-onion-treatment
<p>Check out this video from the <a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/video/advocacy_group_decries_petas?utm_source=a-section">The Onion News Network</a>: </p>
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<p>What do you think? The comments have been pretty divided on this blog when it comes to the intersection of animal and women's rights. Are PETA's sensationalist ad campaigns an example of the ends justifying the means? Or do you agree with the Onion News Network's take on the issue, that PETA cares more about animal rights than human ones? For more reading, check out these past Bitch blog posts:</p>
<p><a href="/post/no-guts-no-glory-wakker-dier-makes-a-snuff-film-in-the-name-of-animal-rights">No Guts, No Glory? Wakker Dier Makes a Snuff Film in the Name of Animal Rights.</a><br />
<a href="/post/peta-is-a-bunch-of-bull">PETA is a Bunch of Bull</a><br />
<a href="/post/feminism-and-animal-rights">Feminism and animal rights... A first step</a></p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/peta-gets-the-onion-treatment#commentsanimal rightsPETAsatireThe Onionvideowomen's rightsDigiBitchThu, 13 Aug 2009 19:06:45 +0000Kelsey Wallace2012 at http://bitchmagazine.org